Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-12-02
Countess NapODa.
By wILKIE COLLINS

1ne Wedding was strictly private. A close
carriage stood at tho church door; n few
people, mostly Of the lower class, and mostly
aid women, wero scattered about the interior
Of tho building Here and there DR.. wv
brow detected the faces OF some of his broth
Psn OF tho club, attracted by curiosity, like
himself. -Four persons only stood before the
aitar-tho bride and bridegroom and their two
witnesses. Ono Of these last was a faded
looking woman, who might have been the
countess companion or maid; the other was
undoubtedly her brother, Baron Rivar. Tho
bridal party the bride herself included wore
their ordinary morning costume. Lord
Nontbarry, personally viewed, was middle
aged military man OF the ordinary type;
nothing in the least remarkable distinguished
him either In faco or figure. Baron Rivar,
again, In his way. was another conventional
representative Of another well known type.
One secs his finely pointed mustache, his
bold eyes, his crisply curling hair, and his
dashing carriage Of the head repeated hun
drsds Of times over on the boulevards of
Paris. The only noteworthy point about him
was Of the negative sort He was not in the
least like his sister. Even the officiating
priest was only a harmless, humble looking
bid mnn, who went through his duties re-
ignedly, and felt Visible rheumatic difl-
eulHss every time he bent his knees. The
pne ramarkahle person, the countess herself,
snly raised her veil at tho beginning of
bhe ceremony, and presented nothing
In her plain dress that was worth a
second look. Never, on Che face Of It, was
there n less interesting and less romantic mar
rage than this From time 10 time the doc
bor glanced round at the door or up at the
galleries, vaguely anticipating the appear
Rnce OF some protesting stranger, In posses
don OF some terrible secret, commissioned
30 forbid the progress OF the service. Moth
ing in the shape Of an event occurred-noth-
Ing extraordinary, nothing dramatic Bound
last together rs man and wife, the two dis
appeared, followed by their witnesses, to sign
the registers; and still DIR. Wybrow waited,
and still he cherished the obstinate hope that
something worth seeing must certainly hap
pen yet
The interval passed, and the married cou-
pie, returning 10 the church, walked together
down the nave TO the door, Dr. Wybrow
drew back as they approached. To his con-
fusion and surprise, the countess discovered
him. He heard her say TO her husband,
some moment, see friend.n Lord Mont
parry bowed and waited. She stepped up to
the doctor took his hand, and wrung 1t
hard. He felt her overpowering black eyes
booking at him through her vol. "ono step
more, you sec, on the way 20 the end" She
whispered those strange words, and returned
b her husband. Before the doctor could re-
cover himself and follow her, Lord and Lady
Montbarry had stepped into their carriage,
and had driven away.
Outside the church door stood the three or
four members Of the club, who, like DIR.
Wybrow, had watched tho ceremony out Of
curiosity. Near them was the brides brother,
waiting alone. He was evidently bent on
seehg tho man whom his sister bad spoken
10, IN broad daylight. His bold eyes rested
on the doctors face, with n momentary flash
OF suspicion in them. The cloud suddenly
cleared away; the baron smiled with charm
lug courtesy, lifted his hat to his sisters
fu;oud and vvallfad off